Perennials or subshrubs [annuals, biennials], 3–50 cm; caudices much branched or loose colonies from 3–10+ elongate, branched rhizomes 1.5–6 mm diam., from woody taproots. Leaf blades serrate or dentate, entire or rarely pinnatifid, teeth or lobes usually bristle-tipped. Heads radiate or discoid. Involucres depressed-hemispheric to campanulate. Phyllaries in 3–6 series, appressed to reflexed, stramineous, linear to lanceolate, mostly 1–2 mm wide, unequal, bases thickened, distal 1/4–1/2 not markedly expanded, herbaceous or with green or purple-tinged strip or patch, apices narrowly obtuse to long-attenuate, usually bristle-tipped, faces stipitate-glandular to canescent. Receptacles: pit borders ± laciniate, teeth or setae distinct or forming reticulum, 0.3–1.5 mm. Ray corollas corollas white, pink, lavender, or purple [yellow], or florets 0. Cypselae dimorphic, narrowly obovoid to oblong, of ray obscurely 3-sided, of disc compressed laterally, (1–)1.5–3.5 mm, walls thick, 6–18-ribbed, often prominent, faces often densely silky; pappi of white to tawny, basally flattened bristles 3.5–8 mm in 2–4 unequal series (ray often much shorter). x = 4.

Distribution

w North America, Mexico.

Discussion

Species 7 (4 in the flora).

A. Cronquist and D. D. Keck (1957) correctly grouped the then known members of sect. Blepharodon under their Machaeranthera series Originales (an illegitimate name). These taxa had been treated in Haplopappus sect. Blepharodon by H. M. Hall (1928). Included as well were: H. arenarius Bentham (Mexico), H. junceus, H. spinulosus, and H. stenolobus Greene (Mexico) (here treated in Xanthisma sect. Sideranthus); H. phyllocephalus and H. aureus (now members of 204. Rayjacksonia); and H. brickellioides (now a member of 206. Hazardia).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Xanthisma blephariphyllum, Xanthisma coloradoense, Xanthisma grindelioides, Xanthisma gypsophilum